Yesterday’s post about the 2013 Frostbite series and the rules that govern what boats can do at obstructions created quite a stir.  This morning we’ll look at two common rules scenarios that seem to take place every Sunday during frostbite racing.  There are dozens of conceivable situations where the rules that govern obstructions can come into play on the frostbite course – but we will only unpack two.

It is important first to understand both what the rule actually says and unpack the definitions within each rule.  Fortunately, the rulebook makers have made this easy by placing relevant definitions in the rule book as well as italicizing the words used within the rule that are specifically defined by the rules.   I am already starting to sound like a sea lawyer.  If you don’t already have a current rule book you can go to the ISAF website and download a handy study guide version in PDF form.  You can also go to the US Sailing rules website and get the same information including US Sailing prescriptions.

Scenario One:  Three boats are sailing downwind towards a turning mark.  Two of the boats (yellow and blue) are overlapped and on port tack.  The yellow boat, being overlapped to windward on the same tack must keep clear of the blue boat.  A third boat (red) is on starboard and is converging on the pack of boats.  Yellow must keep clear of red (starboard tack has right of way over port – rule 10) but there isn’t room for her to bear off behind the leeward overlapped blue boat.  She is the meat in the sandwich.  She hails for “room to gybe!” and blue responds “Sorry Charlie – there is no such rule!”  As a result, the red boat gybes to avoid yellow and protests.  Who if anyone is at fault here?  What would the result of  the protest be?

Scenario Two:  Two J/80’s (red and yellow) are sailing on starboard tack off of the starting line.  The wind speed is 20 kts.  Approximately 20 boat lengths from their starting position there is a long sea wall that extends nearly the length of the windward leg.  At five boat lengths to the sea wall, red the leeward overlapped boat hails for room to tack, by saying “hey I need to tack here!.”

What must Yellow do?

Does anything change if red is 10 boat lengths from the sea wall when she hails?

What must red do?

Does anything change if there is another boat overlapped to windward of yellow?

19 ROOM TO PASS AN OBSTRUCTION

19.1 When Rule 19 Applies

Rule 19 applies between boats at an obstruction except when it is also a mark the boats are required to leave on the same side.  However, at a continuing obstruction, rule 19 always applies and rule 18 does not.

19.2 Giving Room at an Obstruction

 (a) A right-of-way boat may choose to pass an obstruction on either side.

(b) When boats are overlapped, the outside boat shall give the inside boat room between her and the obstruction, unless she has been unable to do so from the time the overlap began.

(c) While boats are passing a continuing obstruction, if a boat that was clear astern and required to keep clear becomes overlapped between the other boat and the obstruction and, at the moment the overlap begins, there is not room for her to pass between them, she is not entitled to room under rule 19.2(b). While the boats remain overlapped, she shall keep clear and rules 10 and 11 do not apply.

20 ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION

20.1 Hailing

When approaching an obstruction, a boat may hail for room to tack and avoid a boat on the same tack. However, she shall not hail if:

(a) she can avoid the obstruction safely without making a substantial course change,

(b) she is sailing below close-hauled, or

(c) the obstruction is a mark and a boat that is fetching it would be required to respond and change course.

20.2 Responding

(a) After a boat hails, she shall give the hailed boat time to respond.

(b) The hailed boat shall respond even if the hail breaks rule 20.1.

(c) The hailed boat shall respond either by tacking as soon as possible, or by immediately replying ‘You tack’ and then giving the hailing boat room to tack and avoid her.

(d) When the hailed boat responds, the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible.

(e) From the time a boat hails until she has tacked and avoided the hailed boat, rule 18.2 does not apply between them.

20.3 Passing On a Hail to an Additional Boat

When a boat has been hailed for room to tack and she intends to respond by tacking, she may hail another boat on the same tack for room to tack and avoid her. She may hail even if her hail does not meet the conditions of rule 20.1. Rule 20.2 applies between her and the boat she hails.

Here are the definitions that are important to keep in mind:

Obstruction An object that a boat could not pass without changing course substantially, if she were sailing directly towards it and one of her hull lengths from it. An object that can be safely passed on only one side and an area so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions. However, a boat racing is not an obstruction to other boats unless they are required to keep clear of her or, if rule 23 applies, avoid her. A vessel under way, including a boat racing, is never a continuing obstruction.

Mark An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, and a race committee boat surrounded by navigable water from which the starting or finishing line extends. An anchor line or an object attached accidentally to a mark is not part of it.

Room The space a boat needs in the existing conditions, including space to comply with her obligations under the rules of Part 2 and rule 31, while maneuvering promptly in a seamanlike way.

Keep Clear A boat keeps clear of a right-of-way boat (a) if the right-of-way boat can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and, (b) when the boats are overlapped, if the right-of-way boat can also change course in both directions without immediately making contact.

If you have questions about the definitions (or interpretations) of the other words used – see Webster’s Dictionary.  No joke – for words not expressly defined in the rule book we rely on the dictionary for their meaning.

Let’s unpack scenario number one.

• Red has the right of way over both blue and yellow.
• Given the definitions Red is therefore an obstruction to both boats.  As stated in the description, blue is to leeward and overlapped with Yellow – therefore she has right of way over Yellow.  Having right of way over yellow, blue gets to choose which side of red she would like to pass.
• In this scenario, Blue has decided to carry on, possibly because from her perspective SHE will pass ahead of blue.  Because red is an obstruction, she must give Yellow the room to pass on the same side.

Blue and Yellow are clearly overlapped and the rule also clearly states that Red (being right of way over both) is an obstruction – therefore Blue must give Yellow the room required to keep clear.  That room could very well mean that BLUE would have to gybe in order to give Yellow the room she needs.  So while there is no rule that requires a boat call for or grant “room to gybe” there are scenarios when a right of way boat is required to do so.

Scenario Number Two is up to you!  Answer the questions in our comment section or ask your own.

If you would like to get deep, deep, deep you can check the ISAF Case Book – which is a treasure trove of information.  Here are some of the specific cases and statements made about obstructions.  When it comes to the questions associated with scenario number two – case 113 is about as clear and relevant as it gets!

Definitions, Obstruction

CASE 11

When boats are overlapped at an obstruction, including an obstruction that is a right-of-way boat, the outside boat must give the inside boat room to pass between her and the obstruction.

CASE 23

On a run, rule 19 does not apply to a starboard-tack boat that passes between two port-tack boats ahead of her. Rule 10 requires both port-tack boats to keep clear.

CASE 29

A leeward boat is an obstruction to an overlapped windward boat and a third boat clear astern. The boat clear astern may sail between the two overlapped boats and be entitled to room from the windward boat to pass between her and the leeward boat, provided that the windward boat has been able to give that room from the time the overlap began.

CASE 41

A discussion of how rule 19.2(b) and the definitions Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap and Obstruction apply when two overlapped boats on the same tack overtake and pass to leeward of a boat ahead on the same tack.  There is no obligation to hail for room at an obstruction, but it is prudent to do so.

CASE 117

When three boats are on the same tack and two of them are overlapped and overtaking the third from clear astern, if the leeward boat astern becomes overlapped with the boat ahead, the boat ahead is no longer an obstruction, and rule 19.2(b) does not apply. There are no situations in which a row of boats sailing close to one another is a continuing obstruction.

Rule 19, Room to Pass an Obstruction

CASE 23

On a run, rule 19 does not apply to a starboard-tack boat that passes between two port-tack boats ahead of her. Rule 10 requires both port-tack boats to keep clear.

CASE 30

A boat clear astern that is required to keep clear but collides with the boat clear ahead breaks the right-of-way rule that was applicable before the collision occurred. A boat that loses right of way by unintentionally changing tack is nevertheless required to keep clear.

Rule 19.2, Room to Pass an Obstruction: Giving Room at an Obstruction

CASE 3

A leeward port-tack boat, hailing for room to tack when faced with an oncoming starboard-tack boat, an obstruction, is not required to anticipate that the windward boat will fail to comply with her obligation to tack promptly or otherwise provide room.

CASE 11

When boats are overlapped at an obstruction, including an obstruction that is a right-of-way boat, the outside boat must give the inside boat room to pass between her and the obstruction.

CASE 29

A leeward boat is an obstruction to an overlapped windward boat and a third boat clear astern. The boat clear astern may sail between the two overlapped boats and be entitled to room from the windward boat to pass between her and the leeward boat, provided that the windward boat has been able to give that room from the time the overlap began.

CASE 33

When a boat approaching an obstruction hails for room to tack before safety requires her to do so, she breaks rule 20.1(a). However, even if the hail breaks rule 20.1(a), the hailed boat must respond. An inside overlapped boat is entitled to room between the outside boat and an obstruction under rule 19.2(b) even though she has tacked into the inside overlapping position.

CASE 41

A discussion of how rule 19.2(b) and the definitions Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap and Obstruction apply when two overlapped boats on the same tack overtake and pass to leeward of a boat ahead on the same tack. There is no obligation to hail for room at an obstruction, but it is prudent to do so.

CASE 43

A close-hauled port-tack boat that is sailing parallel and close to an obstruction must keep clear of a boat that has completed her tack to starboard and is approaching on a collision course.

CASE 49

When two protests arise from the same incident, or from very closely connected incidents, they should be heard together in the presence of representatives of all the boats involved.

CASE 117

When three boats are on the same tack and two of them are overlapped and overtaking the third from clear astern, if the leeward boat astern becomes overlapped with the boat ahead, the boat ahead is no longer an obstruction, and rule 19.2(b) does not apply. There are no situations in which a row of boats sailing close to one another is a continuing obstruction.

Rule 20, Room to Tack at an Obstruction

CASE 3

A leeward port-tack boat, hailing for room to tack when faced with an oncoming starboard-tack boat, an obstruction, is not required to anticipate that the windward boat will fail to comply with her obligation to tack promptly or otherwise provide room.

CASE 11

When boats are overlapped at an obstruction, including an obstruction that is a right-of-way boat, the outside boat must give the inside boat room to pass between her and the obstruction.

CASE 33

When a boat approaching an obstruction hails for room to tack before safety requires her to do so, she breaks rule 20.1(a). However, even if the hail breaks rule 20.1(a), the hailed boat must respond. An inside overlapped boat is entitled to room between the outside boat and an obstruction under rule 19.2(b) even though she has tacked into the inside overlapping position.

CASE 35

When a boat is hailed for room to tack at an obstruction and replies ‘You tack’, and the hailing boat is then able to tack and avoid the hailed boat in a seamanlike way, the hailed boat has complied with rule 20.2(c).

CASE 101

When a boat with right of way is required to give another boat room for a manoeuvre, right of way does not transfer to the boat entitled to room. When, in reply to her call for room to tack when approaching an obstruction, a boat is hailed ‘You tack’, and when she does so and is then able to tack again to keep clear in a seamanlike way, the other boat has given the room required.

CASE 113

An explanation of the application of rule 20 when three boats sailing close hauled on the same tack are approaching an obstruction and the leeward-most boat hails for room to tack, but cannot tack unless both boats to windward of her tack.

CASE 113

Rule 20, Room to Tack at an Obstruction

An explanation of the application of rule 20 when three boats sailing close-hauled on the same tack are approaching an obstruction and the leeward-most boat hails for room to tack, but cannot tack unless both boats to windward of her tack.

Assumed Facts

L, M and W are sailing close-hauled on starboard tack. They are approaching an obstruction they cannot safely avoid without making a substantial course change. The obstruction is not a mark. When the boats are in the positions shown in the diagram, L hails ‘Room to tack’ loudly enough to be heard by both M and W. When L hails, it is clear that M and W must both tack in order to give room to L, and M does not have room to tack and avoid W.

Question 1

Does rule 20.2(c) require W to respond to L’s hail?

Answer 1

Yes. When a boat that is not adjacent to the hailing boat has heard the hail, and will have to respond before the hailing boat is able to tack, she is a ‘hailed boat’ in the context of rule 20.2 and she shall respond accordingly.

Question 2

Is M required to hail W for room to tack immediately after L’s hail?

Answer 2

Yes, if W is not already responding to L’s hail. Because replying ‘You tack’ is not an option for M in this case, M is required by rule 20.2(c) to respond to L’s hail by tacking as soon as possible. Therefore, if M cannot tack because of the presence of W, she must immediately hail W for room to tack, and rule 20.3 permits her to do so even if, in the absence of L, M would not yet need to hail for room to tack. If she fails to hail for room, and as a result is unable to tack as soon as possible, she breaks rule 20.2(c).

The rules are so cool!